Electric clock.



No. 705,558. Patented July 29, I902. J. BUTCHER.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Oct. 16, 1901.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet I.

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.1. BUTCHER. ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Oct. 16, 1001.)

(No Model.)

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5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Modal.)

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J. BUTCHER.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Application filed 0m. 16, 1901 (No Modem 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Oct. 16, 1801.)

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BUTCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SIMEON N. PUTN AM, OFJERSEY CITY, NEYV JERSEY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,558, dated July 29,1902.

Application filed October 16, 1901. Serial No. 78,785. (No'modeL) T aZZwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH BUTCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Clocks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of electric clocks wherein themotive power is ob- I0 tained from a battery within the clock-case and aweighted pawl-arm is thrown up at intervals by an electromagnetmomentarily excited by the current from said battery.

The object of the present invention is to I 5 provide an efficient meansfor operating the circuit-closer through the medium of the Weightedpawl-arm and the operation of the pawl-arm by the armature-lever of themagnet.

2o Otherfeatures of the invention willbe fully described hereinafter andthe novel features carefully defined in-the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate an embodiment ofthe invention,

2 5 Figurel is a vertical section through the clockcase in substantiallythe plane indicated by the line m in Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection or sectional plan, the case being in section at line m inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the clock-movement on a larger scalethan the principal figures. This view shows the weight elevated. Fig. 1is a similar view to Fig. 3, but showing the weight down and the circuitclosed. Fig. 5 is a view 3 5 illustrating a slightly-differentarrangement of the contact-making mechanism from that seen in Figs. 3and 4.

Referring primarily to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is the front of the case; 2, thedial therein; 3 3,

the sides of the case; 4, the top thereof; 5, the fixed bottom thereof;6, the removable sliding bottom thereof, and 7 the hinged or removableback. Within the case is mounted the clock-movement, (indicated as awhole by A.) Also mounted in the case are two cells B B of a dry batteryfor actuating or driving the clock. For convenience in placing andremoving the cells B the upper fixed bottom 5 of the case has in it twoapertures through which the cylindrical cells may be passed, and ininserting them the clock-case is inverted, the sliding bottom 6 drawnout, and the inverted cells dropped in. The sliding bottom is thenreplaced and the case righted. To steady the cells, there is a recess 8in the top a of the clock in the proper position to receive the upperend of the carbon 9 of the cell, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When placedand fixed in this manner at both top and bottom, the clock may behandied without disturbing the cells.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and l, the improvements in the movement A willbe described. 12 is the hand-arbor. 13 is the escapement. 14 is thedriving ratchet-wheel, adapted, as usual, to drive the hand-arborthrough a suitable train of gears. 15 is a pawl-lever, which turns aboutthe arbor 14: of the ratchet-wheel and carries a pawl 16, engaging theteeth of said ratchetwheel. On the one arm of the lever 15 is a weight17, which in descending rotates said wheel. All of these parts are knownin some form in this class of clocks. An electromagnet 18 is mounted inthe frame 19 of the clock-movement and its coils are in the circuit withthe battery in the case. The circuit will be traced hereinafter. 20 isthe armature of the magnet. It is hinged at 21 and is held away from thepoles of the magnet by a light spring 22, and its movement under theinfluence of the spring is limited by a pin or stop 23 in the frame. Therear arm 15 of the pawl-lever is coupled to the free end of the armature20 by a flexible ribbon 2a, which is drawn taut or straight by the fulldescent of the weight 17, as seen in Fig. 1. In drawing the ribbonstraight or taut by the descent of the weight the ribbon engages a partof the contact device, and thus completes the circuit through 0 theelectromagnet, and the'latter attracts its armature, which by its suddenmovement toward the poles of the magnetacts through the taut ribbon tothrow the pawl-lever and the weight 17 thereon up to theirelevated inelectrical contact with the metal of said frame. This rocker has alaterally-extending pin 27 in position to be engaged by thestraightening ribbon 24: as the weight descends for rocking the rockerand a spring contact-arm 28, which is brought finally into electricaltouch with the contact 25 when the weight 17 shall have reached thelowest point in its descent, as seen in Fig. 4.. As stated, when thecontacts touch the circuit is closed through the electromagnet 18, itsarmature 20 instantly moves to the poles of the magnet, and the weight17 is thrown up, the pawl 16 riding over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel.The momentum of the weight carries it beyond the point that would be dueto the taking up of the ribbon by the movement of the armature, and theribbon instantly slackens, thus allowing the contacts to separate andbreak the circuit.

Fig. 5 illustrates a slightly-different arran gement of the contactdevices; but they are substantially as described above. In this view thepawl-lever and the weight, the electromagnet and its armature, therocker, the operating-ribbon, and the fixed contact are, in substance,the same as before described. In this case, however, the springcontact-arm 28 lies alongside of the arm of the rocker 26, as will beseen. This view, Fig. 5, shows the ribbon 24 slack, as in Fig. 3, andout of contact with the pin 27. Obviously the construction of thesedetails may be varied to suit the circumstances without departingmaterially from the invention.

Fig. 1 illustrates a means for regulating the clock by varying thelength of the pendulum. In this figure 29 is the pendulum. 30 is thethin fiat pendulum-spring, engaging slidably the crotch 31. At its upperend the spring 30 has a screw 32, which screws through a wheel-nut33,oollared in the movement-frame. This nut supports the pendulum.Gearing with the wheel-nut is a long pinion 34, fixed on an uprightshaft 35, journaled below in the movement frame and projecting upthrough the top 4: of the clock-case, where it has an upper bearing.This shaft 35 projects up into a recess 36 in the top of the case, andin said recess and fixed on said shaft is a thumb-piece 37 for turningthe shaft. Through the shaft 35 and pinion 34 the wheel-nut 33 isrotated and the pendulum thus made shorter or longer at will.

The circuits may be traced from inspection of Fig. 2. The current flowsfrom one pole of the battery by a conductor w to and through the coilsof the electromagnet, thence to the metal of the movement-frame 19 at w,thence through the frame to the rocker 26 and spring contact-arm 28,thence through said arm to the fixed and insulated contact 25, andthence by a conductor 20 back to the other pole of the battery. In orderto avoid or reduce sparking by the interruption of the current on thebreaking of the circuit at the contacts, a resistance-coil R (seen inFigs. 2 and l) is connected up in a shunt w from the main circuit. Thiscoil does not entirely obviate sparking, but it reduces it very much andprevents burning or oxidizing at the contactpoint, which is veryimportant in a clock of this character, where the circuitis closed andbroken frequently throughout a long period.

It will be noted that the construction shown utilizes the metal of themovement-frame 19 as a part of the circuit; but this is not material oressential to the invention. It is convenient to do this merely becauseone of the contacts is mounted movably in the frame.

The part 24, which has been called a ribbon, will be by preference anarrow flat silk ribbon of a flexible character, but somewhat stiff andspringy also, like a very light ribhon-spring. This form of flexibleconnector will keep its place and form during the operation of the clockmechanism better than an absolutely limp connector, such as a soft cordor chain. However, the present invention is not specifically limited inthis respect.

In Figs. 3 and 4., 10 designates an ordinary pawl to prevent backrotation of the ratchet wheel 14.

I have shown a case for the clock and a pendulum-regulator; but thesefeatures are as well adapted for other styles of clock-movements and arenot claimed in this application; nor is the present invention limited touse with the style or kind of case and pendulumregulator shown. Themovement claimed may be inclosed in any case.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an electric clock ofthe character described, the combination with the movable armature andthe weighted pawl-lever, of a flexible connector which couples themtogether, and a contact device actuated to close the operating-circuitby the straightening of the connector when the said weighted armdescends.

2. In an electric clock of the character de scribed, the combinationwith the movable armature and the weighted paw1-lever,of a flexibleconnector which couples them together, and means for completing theoperating-circuit through said magnet when the weighted lever shall havedescended and straightened the connector, whereby the attraction of thearmature throws up said weighted lever.

3. In an electric clock, of the character described, the combination ofthe movable armature, the weighted pawl-lever, and the flexibleconnector which couples the armature with that arm of said leveropposite to the weight, of the fixed contact in the operatingcircuit,the movable contact in the said circuit, said movable contacthaving apin which is in the path of the straightened connector, and the saidcircuit including a generator and electromagnet.

4.. In an electric clock,the combination with the hand-arbor, thedriving-arbor, the connecting-train, the ratchet wheel on the drivto toits weight, said movable contact having a part projecting into the pathof said ribbon as it straightens under the influence of the descending"Weight of the pawl-lever.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 15th day ofOctober, 1901, in 15 the presence of two subscribing" Witnesses. JOSEPHBUTCHER. Witnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, J. EDMUND STANLEY.

